Chance Encounters
by N7-SpaceHamsters
Summary: People say everyone's paths cross for a reason, but I didn't believe that. If my path crosses with someone else's its because I want it to. Although I didn't see myself hiding behind a pillar taking on gunfire when I wanted my path to cross his. Good thing I had a knack for trouble. Bad things I was out of ammo.
1. Chapter 1

The room was packed with people, all equally dressed in their finest clothes. But the dress coats didn't show their endless pockets or bad intentions. But despite the lies that painted the room I couldn't have felt more at home. When you're in a place that proves paranoia useful you don't feel so bad about never trusting anyone, and always questioning peoples motives.

Looking around I was met with souring sights of marble splendor. The Rossi Estate was beautiful but dull. Hundreds of criminals all packed in shoulder to shoulder playing nice. There to drink alcohol that was too expensive and gossip with people they were trying to kill the week before. But where was a better place to find work as a mercenary than right in the thick of it all?

Though my offers were few and hard to come by. People weren't too interested in small discreet mercenaries when they were looking to make a statement, which appeared to be all of the time. I took a glass of champagne form a waiter and thought to seek employment upstairs. Watching each step carefully I made my way upwards. With shoes that were too tall and too awkward to be anything but calculated in.

The eerie blue-white lighting fell off my black dress as I stepped toward a window of real sunlight. The view of the valley below was breathtaking. The bright blue water splashed and played against the white boats the speckled the ocean shores. At least this place had a few redeeming qualities.

As I stood admiring the view I spotted movement from the end of the upper floor. Quick and ridged unlike the party guest lounging around.

My attention was drawn and I watched as three men gathered around a small table perched close to the overlook of the main room. The older of the three men was grey-haired and anxiously chewing on a half-smoked cigar.

Victor Sullivan. Downing the last of the drinking I had been nursing I set the empty glass down on a vacant table and headed for the three men tucked away at the end of the hall. I noticed one of the men hid a piece of paper in his jacket. Now, what could that be?

"We'll cut through the cellar…" Sullivan stopped short when he saw me approaching him. His face first stricken with surprise but he quickly corrected himself and smiled.

"Lizbeth!" He greeted as I approached him with a wide smile, his arms outstretched for a hug.

"Victor." I returned his hug warmly, the older man patting my back before gingerly releasing me. He was tense, up to his old trick no doubt. "I didn't expect to see you here this evening," I said now noticing the other men standing behind Victor. The older of the two looked at me confused but, with interest while I easily recognized the younger man.

"And as I live and breath, its Nathan Drake himself." Stepping away from Sully I quickly approached Nathan.

"Hey Liz," He said softly smiling while accepting me into a friendly hug. "I thought you retired from this line of work?" I asked him skeptically, as I stepped out of the hug.

"I did," He started. "I-I mean I have."

"So what are you doing here?"

"What I can't be here to enjoying the party?" He asked with a smile, knowing I could see clean through his lie.

"Not with a crowd like this." I mocked while nodding to the masses of people below. The third man, still a stranger to me cleared his throat looking at Nathan expectantly.

"Right, Sam this is Elizabeth Blair, she's helped Sully and I out on a few jobs back in the day." Nathan clarified to the confused man. "Liz, this is my brother Sam," I said with a kind smile as I reached a hand out to the man.

"It lovely to meet you, Sam, I didn't even know Nate had a brother." Sam shook my hand vigorously, linger when he let go.

"Thanks, It's a pleasure. Although I'm shocked I haven't heard of you before. I'm certain I would have remembered my brother mentioning his friend was a model."

"Oh my god," Nathan said as he threw on hand over his eyes in annoyance. I smiled and laughed while watching Nate's distraught behavior. I looked back to his brother and was met with a charming smile and tentative gaze filled with mischief.

"Faltered, but I'm no model, mercenary actually," I said with my own half smirk.

"Really? Well, you're far too pretty to have bullets flying at you." He went on.

"Oh I have my fair share of scars, but I can handle myself."

"Oh I bet you can, but just out of curiosity where about's are those scars?"

"I'd show you, but you'd have to buy me dinner first," I said slyly. Sam opened his mouth to say something else but Nathan cut in quickly, clearing his throat to get our attention.

"Sorry to have to cut this short Liz, but Sam and I have some business to tend to." He said glaring at his brother who just shrugged. "We'll catch up with you later," Nate promised with a faint smile before he stepped away inching his way closer to the stairs while he waited for his brother.

"It was _great_ meeting you Liz," Sam said with a half smile and a wink before he trailed off after his brother. I could hear Nate scolding him as they got further down the hall. I turned back to Sully who only rolled his eye with a shake of his head.

"Brothers." Was all he said with a sigh. "Take care sweetheart, don't be a stranger." He said placing one hand on my shoulder be before he stalked after the boys. They were about to disappear around a corner and down the stairs when I called after them.

"Hey, Nate." I made my way to them with a smile. "If you boys find yourselves in some trouble tonight let me know, this place could use with some livening up and you know I'm always ready for a fight." Nate chuckled and shook his head.

"Will do." The three were gone from sight after that. I lingered on a balcony waiting for them to reappear on the ground floor below. Surely enough the group reemerged headed toward the caller door just as Sully had said. With a faint smile of my own, I skirted down the stairs into the main ballroom. Those three didn't know they needed a key, so I thought it would be nice if to help them out. Because if Nate had come back into the game it was for a damn big score, one I wanted to be a part of. I watched as Nate and his brother ventured onto the floor packed with people, tailing a waiter whos key card that would be painfully easy to take. But I watched with amusement as Nathan struggled to get the card. Figuring I better help out before he got himself caught I walked up to the waiter. Quickly placing my left hand on his elbow,

" _Mi scusi signore, dov'è il bagno? Ho provato a trovarne uno ma non riesco a trovarne uno da nessuna parte._ " I said sounding distressed as I used my right hand, now hidden behind his back to snatched the key card from his pocket and offer it up to Nate, who stood just behind the distracted waiter. With a looked of surprise Nate quickly took the card and scurried back to the cellar door with his brother chuckling beside him. The waiter quickly pointed out a bathroom to me and ran away as fast as he could, not one for customer service I suppose.

With the waiter now gone I followed Nate and stood just out of sight but within earshot of the boy's conversions.

"A pleasure to watch professionals at work." Sully teased.

"Hey, I would have gotten it, if she hadn't been there first," Nathan grumbled.

"She knows we're up to something," Sully warned and I smiled to myself as I pretend to be admiring the building around me.

"Of course she does, you could see it in her smile." Nate groaned.

"You figured out she was on to us from just a smile?" Sam asked confused.

"Yes, Sam, because unlike you I was actually looking at her face."

"Hey, I've been in prison for fifteen years, you expecting me not to notice a girl like that, in a dress like _that?_ "

"Yeah, well, lucky for you I'm sure we haven't seen the last of her tonight." There was the sound of a lock and the slight squeak of the hinges on a door.

"All right…let's try this again." Sullivan said, "We'll still need these."

"Great." I heard Nate say. Quickly I picked up from the wall in time to see Nathan and his brother sneak into the cellar door. Sully left hovering just outside the door, he gave me a playful wave when he saw me. Knowing I had heard their whole conversation. He watched me with suspicion, taking a drag off his cigar as he started to approached me.

Holding back a laugh I winked at him and disappeared into the sea of people. Skillfully weaving through the hoards of partygoers I made my way to the bar, ordering myself a drink while watching Sully through the crowd. He scanned the room, looking past all the people in the crowd, trying to find me. I chuckled to myself as I took a sip of the scotch the waiter had brought me. But my smile quickly fell away as I saw Nadine Ross approached Sully from behind. They were far from friends, and given my experience with Nadine, she wasn't one to let go of grudges. Stiffening as I leaned against the bar I watched the exchange. Nadine made short work of the conversation bring herself to the bar where I lingered. I put my empty glass down on the counter and waved for the bartender to get me another. I could solemnly make it through an event like this sober, but I needed a stiff drink or two.

"Elizabeth," Nadine greeted as she came to stand next to me. "Having a long night?" She asked looking down at my empty cup with curiosity.

"Merely bored," I told her straightening up taking my fresh drink from the bartender. "You know how it is, we mercenaries are a better fit for a battlefield than a ballroom." The bartender slid her two glass of rich scotch.

"I do, all this talking it's painful but the best way to learn a thing or two." She said taking a sip of her own drink but linger to talk to me before going back to Victor.

"Or find a job." She said as I took a heavy swallow. "As I hear it you and your boys are having a hard time finding work." How kind of her to remind me.

"Competitions rough," I said admiring the deep golden color of my drink. "But I think I might have found something tonight after all." I smiled to myself.

"Well, Congratulations then," Nadine said tipping her glass to me. "I have someone waiting for me but come find me later. I'd like to hear about this job of yours."

"I will," I said finally turning my head to look at her. With a final stiff smile, the woman clad in red went back to where Victor had watched us from a distance. _Nosey bugger_ , I thought to myself.

Venturing away from the bar gliding around the room, I was no longer interested in looking for work, and my line to Nadine had been more than just an attempt to save face. I was getting in on whatever Drake was here for, I only needed to figure out what that was.

Scanning the room I found no sign of Nathan or his brother and Sully was still wrapped up with my fellow mercenary. I just hoped the boys weren't finished with whatever they were here to do quite yet. I still needed time to uncover their plan.

"Elizabeth?" Pulled from my thoughts I turned to face a vaguely familiar voice. Rafe Adler stood behind me, dress in a fine off-white jacket and a smile that killed.

"Rafe, hi," I said putting on my best smile, hoping to hide the lingering annoyance I had for the man. I was startled to see him let alone hear him address me with such warmth or familiarity.

"It's been awhile, how have you been?"

"Good, I'm doing well. Yourself?"

"You know me, always busy." He said with a humorous smile. "But I must say, you look positivity stunning in that dress."

"Thank you," I said modestly. "And I must say you look rather handsome yourself, white suits you." He chuckled, smiling at my comment as he continued to admire my dress, I had to choke back the look of disgust fighting its way to my face.

"You do know how to make a man smile." He said, finally returning his gaze to my eyes. Seconds into a dull and dreary conversation Rafe began telling me a story of his newest _adventure_ into history. False tales of lost cities and forgotten ruins, he wanted so badly to be someone he wasn't. As he droned on I found myself absentmindedly playing with my necklace. Twirling the simple charm between my fingers as I pretended to listen. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a waiter with a familiar face pass by. The older of the two Drake brothers. He watched the room as he walked around with a tray of drinks, winking when he found me in the crowd. I smiled despite myself, but Rafe hardly seemed to notice that my attention was elsewhere.

"Some of the things I get involved in are just crazy don't you think?" I finally took into thought what Rafe was saying.

"Oh yeah, of course, downright insane." He laughed and I just offered him another tentative smile completely blind to what he was referring to.

"Anyway, I hear you're looking for work" Her began, how many people were going to bring that up tonight? "Now, I may already be working with Shoreline, but given the rather, reserved size of your gang."

"Company." I corrected

"Right, well, given the rather reserved size of your _company_ I could probably hire you guys on for some extra help. I mean I'd truly hate to see you struggle and getting in on a job like this, well, its the opportunity of a lifetime." He boasted. Genuine as he might have been, working for Rafe on a deal like this no doubt came with strings attached.

"That's very kind you, I must admit I'm rather surprised you'd give me such an offer, give past indiscretions and all." He just shrugged.

"Water under the bridge. It was, after all, a very long time ago, some ten years. Besides you're a smart woman, Lizzy, not someone I ever want to be working against."

"We'll thank you, Rafe, for the offer. Truly it's incredibly generous, but, I'm afraid I found a job here tonight after all. As thrilling as it would be to take part in one of your next adventures, I'm going to have to pass. I need to do whats right for my company and being Nadine's assistant just isn't what TSM needs." I said giving him the most sincere and apologetic look I could manage. He looked a little take aback, surely he expected me to have accepted. I thought he might grow angry, or bitter at my rejection but to my surprise, he just shrugged.

"That's fine," He said quickly. "Can't have them all right?" He asked with a chuckle. He looked over his shoulder to where Nadine was still talking with Sully.

"Well, if you'll excuse me. I have to go talk to my partner about something." He said offering me his most charming smile.

"Of course," I said eager to be rid of him.

"But do keep in touch," He said as he readied himself to walk off. "We should have dinner sometime, see if we can't rekindle anything." He said and I had to hide the urge to gage with a smile.

"Sounds great." Was all I manage to say before I watched him walked away with relief. I backed away just to be further from Rafe but as I watched him approached Sully I began to worry. The older man looked anything but comfortable around both Ross and Adler. I kept a tentative gaze on the group until the bright red vest of one of the waiter cut into my view. I didn't even need to look up to know which waiter it was. Rather, which fake waiter it was. Sam hovered in front of me offering me another glass of champagne with that same charming smile.

"Let me buy you a drink?" he asked, I laughed and took a tall glass from the tray.

"The drinks are free," I said bringing the champagne to my lips. "and you serving them."

"Then say yes," he said.

"Shouldn't you be hovering around the party?"

"I'm am, I just so happen be hovering here." He said playfully. I smiled and was about to acquit his comment when something caught my eyes.

Rafe had lashed out and grabbed Sully's arm as the man had tried to leave. The smile dropped from my face as I watched the scene play out with concern. Sam turned to see what had caught my attention.

"Whats going on there?" He asked.

"I don't know, but I don't like it."

"Cut the bullshit, old man!" Raf shouted as he tossed Victor's drink to the ground, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. I traded a worried look with Sam before the two of us quickly and on opposite sides of the room made our way toward the arguing men. I was careful not to draw any attention to myself as I approached and was pleased to see Sam had done the same, he now lingered by the stage. I hovered near a table a few pace off from Sully just close enough to hear the end of their conversation.

"But if you think about biding on Avery's cross, I can tell you exactly how you're going to be leaving. In a goddamn body bag." Nadine cut Rafe off before he could go on.

 _Avery's cross?_ I shot my gaze up to the auction table scaring over the items until I found the old wooden crucifix. That's what they were here for. Sam was dressed as a waiter and walking the floor so he could steal it and Nate was off to make a diversion so that his brother could grab it without being seen. I smiled to myself, now all I needed to do was get my hands on that cross before Sam did.

I remained at the table I had been eavesdropping at, watching the room with new and heightened purpose. The auction bidding began shortly after Rafe's little outburst and he quickly and easily became the highest bidder. The smug smile he got every time he watched another bidding sign fail to raise made me feel so much better at the fact that he was going to lose anyway. Keeping my eyes on both Sam and Sully I found they were talking to themselves, or rather to each other. The three men must have had ears pieces.

Sam slowly approached the stage, looking nervous. He was getting ready to strike. I threw back the last of the champagne that had been lingering in my glass and discreetly slipped my heels off my feet and under the curtain of the table. Shoes discarded I made my way over to Sam. Halfway across the room, while bidding was almost closed I watch none other than Victory throw his sign up, and I knew for a fact he didn't have the money he was bidding with. I gave him a polite nod in my passing but that man looked sick. When I finally reached Sam he briefly looked at me trying to hide behind a weak smile, before returning his gaze to Sully. I came to stand next to him on the other side of the velvet rope, pretending to admire the items on auction.

"So Avery's cross huh?" I asked Sam, casting an innocence look at him over my shoulder. He opened his mouth to say something but the woman on the auction stand was announcing the sale of the cross when all of a sudden the lights went out.

Smiling I ducked under the rope and raced over to the stand and grabbed the cross.

* * *

Hey guys, thanks so much for checking out my story. Please feel free to leave your comments and opinions I'd love to hear what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

I managed to duck back under the rope just as the lights flashed back on, the cross now safely tucked away in the top of my dress. Everyone began muttering anxiously among themselves, Rafe started shouting after Victor, who had just slipped out of the room. Attention drawn to the screaming man I started away from the crowd and quickly hid in a vacant side room. I shut the door behind me and walked further into the darkness of the empty space, adjusting the cross where it was hidden behind the tall halter cut of my dress. The door was then opened and shut for the second time. Turning around I found Sam had followed me, looking more than a little-pissed off.

"Okay give me the cross." He demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I smiled, the cross was hidden well, no way he could tell where it was, but he could guess.

"Don't screw around I know you took it." He said fixing me with a hard look. I pursued my lips in thought and brought one hand to my mouth, resting the other on my hip.

"Let's say I did take it." I teased looking at him, hearing the commotion from the ballroom get louder. "If I give it to you, I want in on whatever you guys planing."

"What? No!" Sam said stepping further away from the door casting a nervously look back toward the ballroom.

"Look, we don't got a lot of time before someone catches us. I need that cross, my life depends on it, so please just hand it over." He said stepping closer, but I kept backing away.

"If your life depends on this then it should be really easy to just say yes."

"Goddamnit, I said I don't have time for this." He said grabbing one of my shoulders with his hand, I quickly took hold of his arm, ducked underneath of him and flipped him over my back. He landed on the ground with a thud. I turned around and looked down at him, my head cocked to the side. My tone now serious,

"Look as easy as it would be for me to kick your ass and take the cross for myself, I'm not going to. Your brothers my friend and if he's getting into some dangerous shit, which it always is, he's going to need me, so you can save us both some time and say yes or get us caught while we squabble over it, what will it be?" Coughing from the impact of the fall Sam spoke.

"Okay fine! Goddamn yes! You're in." He slowly began to sit himself up, I offered him a hand and helped him to his feet. "Now the cross." He held his hand out expectantly.

"Nope, not until we're out of here. You're cute but I don't trust you." I said with a wink, my stern tone lost as I had gotten my way.

"I'm cute huh?" He asked, rubbing his neck with a pained expression, "Fuck, did you have to throw me?" He asked while taking his red waiters vest off and discarding it on the floor.

"I had to make a point, you needed to know I meant business. Besides, you grabbed me first." I said making my way over to the nearest window and throwing it open.

"So what you're telling me is, you're not as rough when it comes to pleasure then?" I rolled my eyes but smiled none the less.

"Wouldn't you like to know," I said stuck my head out the window, the rooftop was clear.

"Beautiful you can-" Sam was cut off as shouting grew louder outside the door. "Out the window, now." He ordered. Without a seconds hesitation, I slipped out the window onto the rooftops, Sam close on my heels

After what felt like centuries of jumping around the estate and close calls with guards Sam and I had managed to sneak back into the ballroom. But sneak was probably too a strong word for it.

"You know, I think I'm about done with this party," I shouted, popping out of my cover to shoot at a guard who had been getting too close.

"I think security feels the same," Sam said from where he reloaded his gun behind a shot up pillar.

"Hey, I was just a regular guest until you guys showed up."

"If you hadn't stolen that cross you still would be."

"You were going to steal it anyway," I argued watching in both shock and fear as a bullet ripped through the display case I was hiding behind whirling past my head.

"Not the point," Sam said while blindly shooting at the guards, forcing them into cover. I quickly skirted across the floor riddle with deere and rolled into cover behind a table. Listening to the ice sculpture above me shattered I scampered behind another display case, one I hoped was made of stronger material.

As the armed men began pressing harder and harder on our position I heard a distance screaming followed by a loud shattered and turned to see Nathan come flying in through a window.

"You always did love a grand entrance." I mocked taking fire on a couple of baffled security guards.

"Yeah, and what about you? Just stopping through?" He said. I smiled as I reloaded my gun, down to my last clip. Nathan didn't seem surprised to see me there among the firefight. I wasn't totally surprised myself if I was being honest.

"The party was getting stale, thought this might be a good way to liven things up." I heard him laughed between gunshots.

"Liz!" He shouted while Sam ran for new cover further down the side of the room. "Change of plan, we gotta meet Sully outside by the fountain."

"Got it!" I confirmed as I took out a guard with the last of my bullets.

"Get over here, I'll cover you," Nate shouted, I jumped out of cover and hurled my empty gun at the shooters hoping to hit one of them. I slide into cover behind a pillar and next to Sam.

"Fancy meeting you here." He joked, out of breath while peeking out of cover. Ducking behind the stage Sam took out a guard who had come barrelling at me. I took up the dead guards gun and followed as Nathan and his brother raced in and out of cover while trying to get to the fountain.

The cool night air was a welcomed feeling against my flushed skin as I hide behind yet another decorative pillar. Guards swarmed the garden from the opposite side, letting down an endless hellfire of bullets.

"Not fair!" I shouted as grenade tore apart the ground next to me, shrapnel throwing cut stone across my bare arms. Distantly I heard the heavy hum of an engine and the roar of speeding tires. Then the hedging a few feet from us exploded into a mess of dirt and grass as Sully forced the limo into the courtyard.

"About damn time," I muttered while taking out two guards who had been stalking too close to Nate.

Fighting threw more men I was almost close enough to the limo that I could make a run for it. But Nathan and his brother still lagged behind. The majority of the attacking forces solely focused on them. Scanning my surroundings for an answer it came at the sight of one of the fallen guards. An unused grenade still hung from his belt. Firing on our attackers while I blinding grabbed the explosive, my fingers fumbling with it while I tried not to get shot reaching so far out of my cover. I slipped the grenade out of where it had been sitting and after checking my surroundings I pulled the pin.

"Hey, assholes, catch!" I shouted as I threw the bomb into a clumping of the guards who blew up in a fiery shower of dirt and rubble. "Now! Get to the limo!" I shouted.

Not wasting a second both Drake brothers bolted from cover over to the white car. Nate threw himself in first, he was followed by Sam. Racing over to them I more or less jumped inside, landing uncomfortably on top of Sam while slamming the door shut. Sully took off before the door had latched and the sound of bullets peppering the outside.

After a few seconds of Sully's skillful driving, the only sound to be heard was that of the car soaring down the road and everyone's panicked breathing. After a while of Sully speeding down empty roads, I heard Nate start to chuckle,

"Well, that was close." He said each of us starting to join him.

"Hey, Nate, wanna move over a bit?" I asked still sitting on his brother.

"I don't mind." Sam joked with another sly smile, his brother shifted and dragged Sam to move over as well, giving me room to properly sit down.

"You still got the cross?" Sam asked while I settled into the seat next to him.

"Sure do," I said, retrieving the crucifix from my dress, careful not to flash anyone. Sam stared down at the cross now in my hand, his face a muddled mixture of confusion and intrigue.

"I think that's a sin." He said,

"Well, sin or not we have the cross," Nate said reaching across his brother to take the artifact from me.

"And some more help," Sully said as he winked at me in the review mirror. "You sure you want to get tangled up in this mess darlin'?" He asked me skeptically.

"Of course," I said looking at everyone else in the car. "If Nathan Drake has come out of retirement it's for something big, and I want in. Besides, if you guys are going up against Rafe, Nadine and Shoreline you're going to need me." I said defiantly crossing my arms over my chest.

"Can't argue there," Nate said as turned the cross over in his hands before he looked up at me. "But you should know this isn't as simple as all my other jobs have been."

"Your other jobs were simple?" I asked in disbelief, he chuckled.

"Okay simple is the wrong word, but I'm not in this one for the money, we need this treasure to save Sam." I looked over at his brother who reluctantly stared down at the limo floor.

"What kind of trouble is Sam in?" I asked looking at the other Drake brother with suspicion.

"It's a long story, we'll fill you in at the hotel. Just know, this one is going to be messy, you sure you want in?" I looked from Sam to Nathan before a determined smile set itself on my face.

"Hell yeah. Besides where's the fun in clean-cut jobs anyway?" I heard Sully snicker from the front seat. "Besides if all else fails I really want to get the chance to kick Rafe in the teeth," I said with a smug smile as I crossed my legs over my dress.

"Fiery." Sam said with a smile, "I like it."

"You ain't seen nothin' yet," Sully said from the front seat with a shake of his head.

* * *

Thanks again to all who are reading, I hope you're enjoying everything so far. As before, please leave any comments in the review or feel free to DM.


	3. Chapter 3

Walking through the hotel we earned our fair share of concerned looks. Sully was the only one out of us whose clothes weren't either, torn, covered in dirt or bloody. The four of us quickly made for the rooms upstairs, a man in the elevator stared at us with complete and utter fear.

"Buonasera." Nate had greeted him with a smile, the rest of us quietly snickering as the man inched further away from us. Coming to a room tucked away at the end of the hall Sully opened the door and ushered us all in, checking the hallway with suspicion before entering.

"I think we're good," Nate said clapping Sully on the shoulder before the older gentleman joined the rest of us in the room.

"Just being cautious," He said walking over to his suitcase that lay open on the lush bed. "You know none of us will ever be able to come back to this town right?" He said casting a look of warning to each of us.

"Add it to the list," I said with a smile as I wondered over to the bedside table. "Mind if I use your phone Sully?" He nodded finally taking a tall bottle of scotch from his suitcase. I took up the phone and called my lieutenant, who had been acting as my driver for the evening. Skipping over the details of the night's event I asked him to pick up my things from the hotel we had been staying at and get himself to my new location, telling him little more than that we had a job.

"You want a glass darlin'?" Victor asked me while I hung up the phone and joined the men around the table, chuckling at hearing the older man's pet name for me. Smiling I watched as Sully poured my drink just as he had for the others, sliding it to where I sat between Sam and himself.

"Okay," Sam said taking a heavy sip from his glass before putting it down and rubbing his hands together. "Lets do this." He said staring down at the cross. "Victor, you got something we can use to crack this sucker open with?"

"Not unless the hotel keeps hammers in the mini fridge no." Sully mocked while lighting another cigar.

"Hold on, I've got one back in my room." Nathan said standing up from the table.

"You have a hammer in your room?" His brother asked him with concern. "Yeah, I brought one and be thankful I did. Otherwise, we'd have nothing to get that open with."

"Do you by chance have any bandage in there too?" I asked leaning my head against the back of the chair while watching my friend inch closer to the door.

"Well, yeah. Why?" He asked, trading a confused look with his brother. I sighed and shook my arm at him.

"Got a little dinged up at the party, remember? I just need to wrap this up to stop the bleeding" I said gazing down at still fresh gash on my arm from a flying chunk of stone.

"Oh, shit yeah of course." He said catching sight of the blood on my arm. With a nod, I stood from my chair and followed Nathan to his room just down the hall from the one we had been in.

"I'm surprised I still have my key after all that." He joked while unlocking the door and stepping in.

"I'm surprised we're alive after all that," I said, "Whatever trouble your brothers gotten himself into it must be bad to cause for all of this."

"Yeah, it's not good," Nate said slowly pulling free a first aid kit from his bag. "Come here, I'll help fix your arm." He said pushing his bag aside and sitting down on the bed. "You know Hector Alcázar?"

"The nefarious drug lord? Yeah, I've heard of him." I said bewildered as I sat next to him.

"Well, he and Sam were cellmates for a time back in a Panamanian prison." Nate started his work fixing my arm. "Alcázar ended up breaking out of that jail and he took Sam with him. As payment Alcázar, wants Sam to find Avery's treasure and give half the profits to him."

"Well shit," I muttered taking in what my friend had told me. "Let me guess, there's a timeframe hanging over your heads?" Nate nodded.

"Three months,"

"Jesus, Nate, that's not a lot of time."

"I know," He said with a sigh, pausing with my arm to run a hand over his face. "But with Sam, Sully and myself working the clues we can do it. And if you really do stick around we should be more than capable of handling Rafe and his obstacles." I put a hand on his arm waiting until he met my eyes.

"Don't think I'm dropping out now, you guys need me. And besides, there's still half the treasure that sounds pretty promising." He laughed and finished wrapping my arm.

"Thank you, I feel a lot better knowing you'll be there to watch our backs."

"Just like old times," I said with a smile,

"Just like old times," He repeated. We both sat there for a moment reflecting on past adventures. With a smiled Nate stood up and fished the hammer out of his bag before offering me a hand up.

"Although I think I'm starting to get a little too old for all this running and gunning stuff." He said with a smile.

"You're just out of practice. Retirements gone and made you soft, Drake." I joked as we made our way from the room.

"Hey, soft or not I still managed to save your ass tonight." He shoved me playfully as we approached Sully's room.

"When? When you came crashing through that window?" I asked

"Uh, yeah." He said like he was stating the obvious. Chuckling we entered the room again to find Sam and Victor hadn't moved.

"What are you two laughing at?" Sully asked while he took a drag off his cigar.

"Nothing," Nate said "Just how, mercenaries have terrible jokes." He said handing the hammer to his brother, I punched him on the shoulder.

"And how treasure hunters are full of themselves." I threw back.

"Hey, don't go roping us into the same category as him," Sam said pointing amusingly at his brother. Who just shook his head in disbelief while he took a seat at the table.

"All patched up?" Sully asked nodding to the white bandage around my bicep.

"Ready for action," I said behind the glass of scotch while taking a generous sip.

"Okay," Sam said putting down his glass and taking up the cross, sliding it to the end of the table. He brought up the hammer and paused looking around the table. "I hope I don't go to hell for this." He said with a smile before he finally broke off the end of the cross. As he looked inside his face fell, Nate sprung forward in his chair, eyes alive with fear.

"What?" He exclaimed, his brother told him it was empty, I dropped my glass down to my lap about ready to lunge forward and grab the cross myself when Sam smiled and shook the cross's content free. Sully and I slouched back into our chairs while Sam snicker, his brother cursing him as he watched.

"He's your brother," Sully said while exchanging a look with Nate, I hid my smile behind my drink. A small scrap of paper lay in the middle of the table and everyone leaned in to get a better look. I caught sight of a small red seal stamped with a skull and crossbones.

"A jolly roger," I said looking down at it without any knowledge. "Looks piratey to me," I said taking a sip of my drink while the others looked at me with small smiles.

"That's Avery's insignia," Sam said with this light tone of childlike excitement. We all watched as he opened up the parchment with care. Everyone's eyes darting around the page searching for something they recognized. The men around the table quickly set to work trying to decipher whatever the pages meaning was. The brothers took to reading latin like a second language while Sully speculated that the mysterious numbers might've been a code. It took them a bafflingly short amount of time to figure out the whole thing. Nathan brought out a journal and pulled out a map of the cathedral he spoke of. He pointed out that the way to the treasure didn't lay within the cathedral like they had thought but in its graveyard.

"Guys, we're going to Scotland," Sam announced overjoyed.

"All right, all right. Wait - wait up. You do realize that Rafe knows you're coming?"

"Well, thanks to our newest partner," Nate said gesturing to me. "He shouldn't be a problem."

"Liz alone won't be enough to stop him. He's got not only Nadine but her whole army to back him up."

"Yeah, but he doesn't have this," Nate said pointing to the small aged page. "The biggest pirate treasure of all time is within our grasp." He went on.

"I thought this was about saving Sam." Sully pointed out while he leaned against the table.

"It is." Nate started looking around for support. "But come on, it's both, right? We need the treasure so we can save Sam." Nathan looked down at the page with excitement, overpowered by the high of this discovery.

"How is Elena cool with all this?" Sully asked when Nate didn't say anything he got his answer regardless. I sat up in my chair, putting my glass down on the table.

"Wait, what does he mean?" I asked, "Where does Elena think you are right now?" I struggled to catch Nate's eyes from across the table. He dropped his gaze to his hands.

"On a salvage job, in Malaysia." I slouched back in my chair and ran a hand through my tangled hair.

"Oh my god, Nate." I sighed putting my hands over my eyes. "I can't believe you did this to her again."

"Look, it's just not that simple." He started.

"After all the shit you two have been through- You didn't even tell her. Jesus, Nate, I was on the phone with her this morning."

"You can't tell her," Nate said snapping his eyes to meet mine with concern.

"I won't," I sighed. "It's not my place to tell her her husband is lying to her."

"She wouldn't understand." He argued,

"She's a big girl Nate. She'd understand that stuff happens. You're not putting enough faith in her."

"I can't take that chance." I fell back into my chair, picking up my drink in defeat. Elena was my friend, just as Nathan and Sully were. It hurt me to watch Nate jeopardize his relationship out of fear, again.

"Nathan, they're right." Sam tried to reason with his brother, but while he spoke Nathan pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number. Stepping from the room as he went to call Elena while the rest of us remained scowling at the table.

Once Nathan had disappeared from the room Sam refilled his glass and topped off my own. Unlike myself, Victor rejected the drink covering the glass with his hand. I nearly drained the contents of my drink when Sully started a talking with Sam, it began with the mentions of his time away. Feeling like I was intruding I silently excused myself and slipped into the bathroom. But from behind the thin wall, I heard the whole thing. There was the sound of a door as Nate enter back into the room, taking that as my cue I exited the bathroom and made my way back to the table. As I sat back down I was caught in a plume of smoke as Sully exhaled.

"Well… I do hear the weather is particularly fine in Scotland this time of year." With that said, everyone took up their glass until whatever they had left was drained till empty.

Hours ticked by but none of us made to leave the room. Nate had gotten onto the tale of the time he discovered the lost city of Shambhala. No small feat but to hear him tell it you'd think he just stumbled upon it.

"Wait, wait," Sam said stopping his brother in his tracks. "So you're telling me that you survived being shot, blowing yourself up and hanging from a derailed train car off the side of a mountain?"

"Well, I'm here aren't I?" He said, I chuckled, now lounging in the chair I had taken up at the table.

"And you got caught up in this whole mess too?" Sam asked turning to look at me with this childlike amusement on his face as he had intently listened to the story.

"Naturally," I said with a whimsically smile. " But I only got involved in Nepal though. I had been acting as security for Elena and Jeff while they were investigating Lazarević, when we bumped into to Nate. I only ended up on that damn train because this dumbass wanted to jump abroad to go after Chloe. Elena had insisted that I go with. Keep him alive another day or two." Nathan chuckled shaking his head at the memory.

"And you did." He said tipping his glass to me.

"Only because I refused to die on a train and I couldn't just leave you to freeze to death out in the middle of nowhere, it's just not professional," I said chin rises high as I smirked at Nathan out of the corner of my eye.

"Yeah, and I'm sure it had nothing to do with our friendship." He mocked.

"Oh please, just like you I'm a thief and a crook and you know I did it for the paycheque." The others around the table laughed while Nate just looked at the bottom of his glass trying to hide his smile.

"Well, if its any conciliation, you're not exactly surrounded by saints," Sully said gesturing around the table.

"What are you talking about Victor? You're the best man I know." My smile betrayed my act of sincerity.

"Than all the men you know must be pretty damn shitty."  
He said,

"Well, I don't exactly have the best track record with them that's for sure."

"That's true, didn't you actually date Rafe at one point or another?" Nathan asked, Sully and Sam both turned to look at me with confusion and shock.

Horrified at the sheer mentioning of the man from the night's events, I pressed my lips together into a thin line and stared at the ceiling.

"That was a very, very long time ago…" I started looking around the table as Sully groaned dropping his head into one hand while Nathan couldn't control his laughter. "And I was very young, and he was very rich. Besides I wouldn't say we dated, it was more just…" Nate continued to look at me with a far too entertained smile, waiting for me to finish the sentence while Victor looked traumatized. I cleared my throat,

"We didn't date," I said all too quickly, staring at the floor while listening to Nathan continue to laugh. Groaning I ran a hand through my unkempt hair, locks of dark blond now tangled into clumps.

"Well, if you're looking for someone to help purge that memory for you, I happen to know a certain, very handsome historian who might be interested," Sam said with a wink while lighting up a cigarette.

"Historian? I'd call him a thief." Nate said scowling at his brother. In retaliation Sam kicked Nathan's chair, almost sending the younger man toppling over. Nate swatted his brother foot away and the two bickered like children. Chuckling Sully stood up,

"Okay, boys I think its time we call it a night." He said hoping to finally chase all of his guest from the room.

"Lizzy, why don't you and I go downstairs to sort out a room for you. Your guys can drop off your things there." He said offering me an arm. Grateful I took it heading for the door with him.

"And you two better not be in my room when I come back up." He said over his shoulder, not bothering to look back.

* * *

Hey guys, I'm hoping to complete chapter four soon! Until then it would be great to hear what you're thinking in the reviews, or if there's anything that stands out or doesn't make sense please DM and I'll set to work fixing it. Thank you again, hope you enjoy everything so far.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning came all too fast, gentle trickles of light seeped in through the plains window. Half asleep I sat on one of the chairs tucked away in the back, my armed curled tightly around myself as I tried and fight of the cold that filled the hollow belly of the plane. The navy blue jacket I had packed wasn't meant for Scotland weather this time of year. Though it cut out most of the chill my fingers were still numb and clumsy as I kept them buried beneath my arms.

"Cold?" I heard a now familiar voice ask, looking up through the still darkness that filled the plane I could see Sam looking back at me from his seat near the front. He and his brother had spent most of the morning leg of the trip talking about Avery and what was going to be their first steps for finding the treasure. I had tuned out most of it, their thick archives of pirate knowledge was far beyond anything I could keep up with.

"I'll live," I said stoically, as I smoothed a stay strand of blond hair back into the ponytail I had styled my hair into. Without saying anything Sam got up from where he was sitting and pulled down the seat next to me. He sat down, now to close for me to see his face without turning from where I was huddled around myself.

"We can share a little body heat sitting closer. Maybe that way you won't be frozen by the time we get there." I laughed but kept my arms wrapped tightly around my torso.

"And here I thought you were coming to sit with me because you liked me."

"Well, that's not the only reason." He joked, I smiled briefly but the biting pain lingering in my toes from the cold drew it away again. "So, you've done jobs like this with my brother before?"

"Yeah, plenty of times, before he retired that is. Though they were usually in warmer places." I said stiffly. Despite my ridged sentence, Sam laughed.

"I'm sure it'll be warmer once we land."

"It damn well better be, or I'm going to freeze to death long before Shoreline gets to me." My breath puffed out in front of me like a cloud of smoke.

"Shoulda packed warmer clothes," Sam said as he pulled his coat tighter around himself.

"I packed for Italy, not a hiking trip in Scotland."

"So you normally pack a twenty-two caliber rifle when you go on foreign vacations?" He nodded to the rifle propped up against my seat. Smiling I looked down at the polished barrel with a sense of pride.

"Never go without one." It was quiet after that, the gentle hum of the plan the only sound to be heard as Nathan and Sully had since put a stop to their ideal conversation as well. But, as I should have guessed, Sam wasn't someone who stayed quiet.

"So I gotta ask," He said gathering my attention once more. "How does someone like you become a mercenary?"

" _Someone like me?_ " I raised an eyebrow at the man. "Whats that suppose to mean?" He shrugged and leaned back in the chair, burying both hands in his pockets.

"Pretty, smart and as far as I can tell a damn good con. Why not become something legal, like a lawyer or a doctor?" I smiled.

"Do you always use flattery to get your answers?"

"Only when I think it'll work, but honestly," He said putting one hand out in front of himself to stop me from joking. "What put you on this path? I'm curious."

I Relaxed back into my chair now feeling less cold than I had before, I shrugged.

"Same thing as everyone else I guess, I needed money. I was too young and too dumb to get it any other way. I started small doing shit work for shit pay, but you work for someone long enough and they're going to see that your willing to do just about anything to get the money you need. The guy who ran the group I was working for, he found out how desperate I was but he also saw potential. After a couple years he set me up with real work and made me one of his main guys. And here I am almost twenty years later, leader of that very same company."

"Something tells me, it's not actually all that simple. Why'd you need money so bad?" He asked nodding for me to continue. I only laughed and shook my head.

"That's a little personal isn't it?"

"I wouldn't mind getting personal with you." With another laughed I looked down at my hands clasped in my lap, my fingers were no longer numb. Now that I had something to focus on other than my cold surroundings.

"An answer for an answer then," I said, shifting in my chair so I could properly see the mans face. He looked me over with a questioning gaze as if trying to guess my alter motives.

"Okay, shoot."

"How'd you end up in prison?" Sam laughed, looking at the roof of the plane with a distant smile before turning to look at me.

"I was innocent, actually."

"That's what they all say."

"Including you?" He asked looking at me from the side.

"Is that your question?"

"Why not?" He said casually,

"I have been to prison a few times, but I'll admit, I was never innocent." A bemused smirk edged at the corner of Sam's lips.

"Alright, the lady's turn." He said gesturing to me.

"What were you innocent of?" With a long sigh, Sam looked down at the length of the plane to where his brother and Sully sat in silence.

"Now that is quite the story. One that involves my dipshit brother over there and your boyfriend."

"I can't stand Rafe."

"Yet you knew who I was talking about." I shook my head,

"Trust me, no one hates Rafe Adler more than I do," I reassured with a hard look of disgust.

"Oh, I don't know about that. I mean the little bastard is the reason I rotted in prison for the last fifteen years of my life."

As the flight dragged on Sam admitted the whole story of how he ended up in jail. He told me the details of how Rafe screwed the brothers over by killing a guard and forcing them to make a break for it. Which untimely ended with Sam getting shot and Nate being forced to flee with Rafe or risk getting caught himself.

"You were shot three times in the abdomen and lived? Lucky bastard." I said with a chuckle of disbelief.

"Yeah well, I ended up rotting in prison for the next decade and a half, don't know if I'd call that lucky." He said the look in eyes was that of a man who had seen too much.

"I bet you've got one hell of a scar though." I joked, Sam's distant look shifted into a smile as he looked over at me.

"Sure do." He said with a shack of his head before lifting the hem of his shirt to reveal three triangular bullet wounds. "I'm hoping it might help me out with the ladies, you know? Mysterious bullet wounds could be kinda hot." I laughed and shook my head as he pulled his shirt back into place beneath his coat.

"Sure, but they're not a mystery to me anymore."

"Still hot though, right?" With a laugh, I stood from my seat beside him and made my way to the front of the plane where Sully and Nate sat.

"Right?" I heard Sam called from behind me, I ducked into the cockpit barely hiding my smile.

When we finally arrived in Scotland, I was more than a little shocked to see what awaited us. Snow covered patchy areas of the ground but it did nothing to dull the sunset color of the hills and fields. Deep green trees cutting around the edges of our surroundings like a brilliant natural fence. I watched the tall golden grass sway in the window, jobs with Nathan Drake never seemed to be planed out but they always did seem to have one hell of a view.

I shook my head and tightened my grip on the strap of my rifle that lay slung across my back before turning to face the brothers. Nathan was examining the area with a set of binoculars, Sam stood beside him looking out distantly to the ruined cathedral in the distance. Nate made to put the spyglass away but I spoke up first,

"Mind if I borrow those a sec?"

"Yeah sure." The younger man said handing the binoculars to me with one hand and pull his radio out with the other.

"Sully." I heard him call into the radio as I brought the binoculars up to my own eyes. The tall stone structures miles off seemed quiet form this distance. The old grey and sun-bleached walls covered with a heavy dusting of snow. But clouds of dust and dirt sprang up from the heart of the building, destroy its stillness as an explosion racked its tired old frame.

"Rafe's really done a number on that place hasn't he?" I sighed looking at the crumbling freefall of loose stone.

"Looks like it, though I'm willing to bet this place wasn't in good shape when he got here either," Sam said beside me while he distantly looked out at the buildings remains.

"Shouldn't a place like that be a museum or something? So he can't do shit like that?" I said dropping the binoculars away from my eyes and gesturing to the building with the hand I held them in.

Sam shrugged,

"When you've got as much money as Rafe does, stuff like that isn't really a problem." He said checking the clip of his gun.

"You think it's too much to hope that some of that ruble he's knocking lose lands on him?" I said sourly crossed my arms over my chest. Sam chuckled as he looked over at me, a half smirk stretched across his face.

"Probably," He shrugged, "But we can always hope." He winked,

"Oh and Lizzy," I heard Sully's voice call me over the radio, smiling distantly at Sam I walked over to his brother.

"You better get your ass up here Sullivan, or you're going to miss all the fun," I teased while Nathan held the radio button for me.

"Fours a crowd," He joked while I looked over the cliff to see him leaning out of his plane.

"But do a favor for me darlin', keep on eye on those two, would you? I can't trust them not to get themselves killed." I laughed as Nathan glared down at the older man from afar.

"Will do, Victor. Keep the engine warm for us."

"You got it." He said before disappearing into the plane. I handed the radio back to Nathan and the two of us turned to face his brother.

"Let's go pay our respects to Captain Avery, huh?" Sam said tucking his gun away,

"Sounds like an adventure," I said with a smile while checking the gun that was strapped at my thigh.

"Come on," Nate joked while he ventured further to where his brother had jumped down into a field, "When is it not?"

* * *

Hey guys, sorry this chapters a little shorter but it's all good things I promise. As always, feel free to leave any comments or messages with ideas, I appreciate them so much. Thanks to all of you following, you're wonderful!


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